michelle ward

m.i.y.o.

Tomorrow is the last day for the current GPP Street Team Crusade.  We've been Making It Our Own and many artists have come by to share their inspiration and interpretations as we strive to add an authentic and personal touch to all that we do.  Often we turn to custom tools to keep things original and unique - like carved stamps or cut stencils.  There have been many times where I have created an element simply because it didn't exist and I needed/wanted it.  THAT is how I began designing and selling rubber stamps.  I made images I wanted to have that weren't available yet.

 

As you know, we are huge HIM fans in this house.  I have an entire drawer of HIM shirts, at least 5 hoodies, several bags, and countless accessories with heartagrams thanks to Hot Topic, Spencers, Heartagram.com, and concerts.  In the early days there was not alot of merchandise with the heartagram on it....so we had to Make Our Own.

 

I carved these stamps and we used them with fabric paint or even cooler: bleach, to make tshirts and stuff.  I cut stencils too.  And the heartagram pendant came by request of Peter and his friends (they all wanted one), made from pink wire.   It's awfully primitive but pretty cool of me don't you think? 

 

A couple summers ago I made these for my NJ/NY HIM Street Team.  Super quick and easy and inexpensive.  Great party favor.  

The heartagram selections at Hot Topic these days are kinda scarce again until the new album comes out (too long from now!) so I may have to go back to Making My Own HIM merch.  (Very closely related to Make It Your Own is Do It Yourself!)  Stop in at the Street Team to see what we are doing....and then come back later in the week to see the new challenge and play along with us.

oh my goth*

*Swooon*  My favorite font, hands down, is Blackletter.  So imagine how fast I ordered up Fraktur mon Amour by Judith Schalansky featuring 333 historical and contemporary Blackletter variations.  Yes, it's pricey, but it comes with a cd containing 150 of them...and it's a gorgeous volume that makes me so happy just to page through.

 

 

 

Can you stand how cool this is?  I love the random and abstract graphic play with the fonts on the left pages....had to have a go at it...with my fave song title.

 

* post title 'oh my goth' borrowed from lisa. 

making unlikely connections

As soon as I found this site, Villainess, I knew I wanted to share it with you.  I also wanted to tell you about a *sign* uncovered there - the synchronistic kind of connection I was not looking for but smacked me in the head.  First, the cool site....they have some terrific products.  Perfume oils, soaps, and body scrubs with clever and inventive titles, and interesting scents.

 

Brooke kindly granted me permission to use images from her site.  How could you not be intrigued by these descriptions?  Signature scent, Villainess:  all ball gowns and combat boots - raw, smokey leather and sweet vanilla musk engulfed in a sheer haze of exotic florals - ylang, neroli, jasmine, lilac and tuberose. Or Byzantium:  precious woods and resins - cedar, pine and sandalwood, frankincense, amber and myrrh - at play against a sheer base of Egyptian musk, barely spiked with imported spices, and lightly veiled in smoke.  I got these two and a handful of adorable and equally appealing samplers of soaps and scrubs.  Go check out the fab selections.

 

So here is the unlikely connection....Do you see the floral background from Brooke's site?  It reminded me of a similar fabric in brown/black I had scored at Wal-Mart a while back.  Yes, Wal-Mart!  Here's the thing:  on my to-do list before family arrived was to clean my dining room chair seats (a filthy ivory).  By Tuesday night (troops were arriving Thursday) I hadn't touched the chairs and most likely they'd never be dry in time.  It was Tuesday that I stumbled upon Villainess.  So Wednesday afternoon I dashed over to pick up a few yards of the fabric from Wal-Mart, and by dinner time I had recovered 6 chairs!  Scissors, tacks, and less than 3 yds. for less than $30.  A great solution don't you think?  That's how it is when you are open to signs....at the 11th hour unexpected inspiration channels in.  Now my chairs looks great and I smell stunning.

 

Condolences to the family, friends, and fans of familiar faces who left this week....Ed, Farrah, and Michael.  I can't say I was ever an MJ fan, but I have heard him in our home almost daily....Sam watches Free Willy over and over, it's his special connection to the orcas....he rewinds this track.....HERE.  So another unlikely connection...respecting that Micheal Jackson was not only on the soundtrack for Free Willy, but he is on the soundtrack of our generation.

navigating

Serendipity, synchronicity, coincidence.....I pay attention and feel like I'm in tune to the meaning of what happens around me.  I look for connections, significance, in art-making and in life.  Not long ago Lisa pointed me toward these books.  Mr. Rushnell is my kind of guy.  He not only identifies with my favorite, *winks*, but he takes the position that they are God-sent.  I'll buy that.

 

This month my friend Kathryn posted to her True North Arts blog about serendipity and synchronicity, and the role it plays in the creative process.  I was honored to be an invited guest - you can read her interview with me HERE.  She then challenged her readers to invent a compass.  I didn't have the time to create something this month, but in my studio overhaul I came across a portfolio of old sketches.  Synchronicity!  Check out my compasses.

 

This doesn't really count as an entry to her challenge, but the message is timely....especially as our oldest has just graduated.  The deadline for Kathryn's prompt is Friday, therefore I'm not-so-timely in directing you her way.  Don't let that stop you.  There is alot to read and think about over there, and I'm certain she has more up her sleeve with future projects.

the kellys were here

Our annual family gathering usually takes place in Minnesota.  This year they all came to Jersey.  It was the first time my brother brought his family here so we gave them the city tour (x2) and didn't let the rain stop us. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We missed having Andy here this time, but we felt Shannon with us.  Summer is officially here!  Enjoy.

ta-da x 3

 

One leaves high school, and two will enter it.  Three ta-das in one day!  Happy to have my family here from Minnesota to celebrate with us. 

Wishing Graham, my Dad, my brother, my Father-in-Law, and dads everywhere a Happy Fathers Day.

the master

If you've caught the spray paint frenzy you no doubt are onto Shepard Fairey.  He is masterful...and you can see him in action in this video HERE.  *swoon*  Then catch him in Arkitip #51.  This is perfect spraying weather and I'm itching to get outside with some of my new stencils.  The studio is still in-progress and company comes Thursday, all three kids have graduation ceremonies Friday, so the cans will have to wait a little longer.  In my excavations I came across this journal....the first weekend I started spray painting.  I completed an entire journal in two days.  That's how it is with spray paint....fast & fun.  Watch Shepard....you'll agree.

feels good!

 

Not going to show you the inside YET.  It's still in-progress but nearly done.  Feels so good to shake off stuff and declutter, organize....and rediscover some of my supplies!  When I'm short on surfaces to work on there is always the trusty clipboard, one of my favorite studio tools.  I clip under a page I'm working on - sometimes one under each side.  They keep my pages flat which is especially nice if there is something lumpy on the previous spread.  I can cut right into a page with my exacto, the board acting as a cutting mat too. 

 

During the clean sweep my eyes were opened to just how many clipboards I have accumulated.  I won't even admit to how many scissors I have *grin*.

 

I do admit I'm a terrible put-away-er.  Mail bins seem to multiply in my studio.  No more!  No fines for me. (The U.S. Mail bins clearly warn against misuse of postal property.  I'm returning these today.) 

 

Most of the trash bags left on Friday but more will go out on Tuesday.  Dude!  I'm nearly done!  Who wants a tour?  Bribes required.

out of my league

Check out this perfume!  What clever packaging.  One even sprays in color (then it fades).  I'd love a whiff of it....might have to pop into Barneys next time I'm in the city to see if they have a sample.  I wish my favorite room spray came in a can like this.  THAT I could afford.

 

I've been tucked away in my studio doing a major overhaul and shaking off alot of stuff.  It feels good to invest time in this place - way overdue.  I've cleared a path so you don't have to hop on one foot to get around, and soon you won't need a helmet or tetanus booster to visit me here.  All my books are finally in one place, all my spray cans, stencils, and brushes are neatly organized.  I have 5 large plastic bins filled with bottles of acrylic paint.  If I ever mention I'm going out to buy paint STOP ME.   I can even see a cleared work surface.  *faints*

bff day

Did ya know?  Today is BBF Day.  Below is one of my fave *friend* songs that I love to crank up and sing to in the van.  What's on your friend playlist?  Maybe THIS or THIS or THIS or THIS or even THIS.

 

I remember this from Girl Scouts:  Make new friends but keep the old; one is silver, the other gold.

To my gold friends, my silver friends, the ones I see often, the ones I see not so often, and the ones I've never seen:  xoxo

another milestone

 

This kid is going to prom tonight.  In two weeks he'll be graduating.  Where did the time go?  Send positive vibes that the rain stops before our photo session.  More later. 

 

EDIT:  12:30pm....

 

EDIT:  and they are off!